President Donald Trump has hidden his deep disappointment towards former Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin “Bibi” Netanyahu, someone he considered as a personal ally and an ally to the United States.
During his time in the White House, Trump worked really closely with Netanyahu in international politics (such as tackling the Iran threat, with the development of the Iranian nuclear program) and even in local domestic politics in both the US and Israel.
Trump even recognized the disputed city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, moved the US Embassy there, and abandoned pre-existing US opposition to Israeli settlements in the West Bank territories.
Frustration with Very Close, Old Ally
Apparently, however, Netanyahu managed to completely disappoint and infuriate Trump when shortly after the 2020 election, he issued a congratulatory message to Joe Biden.
To top it all off, the then-Israeli leader didn’t put out a standard diplomatic release, but actually went to the lengths of recording a congratulatory video for Sleepy Joe.
Trump’s total frustration with his old ally Bibi Netanyahu has just been revealed in a report by Barak Ravid, an Israeli journalist for Axios. He interviewed the 45th president of the United States back in April and then again in July for a book on the so-called Abraham Accords.
The Abraham Accords themselves are two 2020 agreements normalizing Israel’s diplomatic relations with two key Arab countries, the UAE and Bahrain. They are one of President Trump’s landmark foreign policy achievements.
In his report on the Axios website, Ravid emphasized how Trump and Netanyahu were “the closest of political allies” during the former’s four years in office but that is no longer the case.
“F**k him,” Trump declared bluntly.
The Israeli journalist writes Trump was also critical of the former Israeli leader on other counts as well. However, Bibi’s celebratory video for Empty Shelves Joe was “the final straw” in Trump’s frustration with the long-term ally.
In a interview to @BarakRavid for his new book out tomorrow, Trump confirms Michael Wolff’s reporting that he saw Netanyahu’s congrats of Biden in Nov. as the ‘ultimate betrayal.’
“Fuck him,” Trump said about Netanyahu. “I haven’t spoken to him since.” pic.twitter.com/Jg5jkoJhci
— Jacob Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) December 10, 2021
In a recent interview with a well-known Israeli journalist, Trump spoke about Netanyahu and said …
"Bibi would have lost the election if it wasn't for me, and then he was the first person to congratulate Joe #Biden. I haven't spoken to him since. Fuck him"😬 pic.twitter.com/drKdtVR0tM
— Emma hanson (@hansonEmma_) December 10, 2021
‘Begging’ Sleepy Joe ‘for Love’
Naturally, Trump considered Netanyahu’s move blatantly offensive, as he was still disputing the election results when the then-Israeli leader unexpectedly congratulated Biden.
Trump was angered that Netanyahu was “very early” with his congratulations for Sleepy Joe. Other leaders, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonairo, waited a long time before they issued the standard-form diplomatic messages.
Trump noted this was because they were aware “the election was rigged”, and expressed his outrage that Bibi, on the other hand, did “a tape” about his “great, great friendship” with Biden.
In his words, it was First Lady Melania Trump who showed him Netanyahu’s video.
Trump stressed that nobody else but himself ever “did more” for Netanyahu. At the same time, Trump made it clear he still liked “Bibi,” but is also a fan of “loyalty.”
Later, Trump spoke more mildly about Netanyahu, but was still really frustrated with his former close ally, as his video for Joe Biden was as though the then-Israeli leader was “begging for love”.
Back then, Trump remarked the rift between them hurt Netanyahu domestically in Israel, since Trump himself remains highly popular in the country.
Shortly after the Axios report on Friday about the Trump-Netanyahu rift, the former Israeli leader, who is now head of the parliamentary opposition in the country, put out a brief statement in response.
In it, he said while he was highly appreciative of Trump’s help with the Israeli security of the country, he felt it was crucial to congratulate Biden after the 2020 presidential election, due to how vital the alliance with America is to Israel.
